Chapter 39
The pair of demons entered the palace in stride but had to depart shortly after they reached the main hall where the anxious crowds were waiting. Matyeo eventually took a seat on what looked to be a very comfortable throne against the furthest wall. It was from this noble perch that he forced a smile and welcomed each clan diplomat as they came forward to grace him with coveted treasures, armaments, weapons, garments, foods, remedies and every other type of rare valuable imaginable.
Shura meanwhile searched the sea of faces for her father and uncle. The she-demon eventually found them standing beside Kayolin amidst the crowd of nobles that had converged near Matyeo's throne. They were watching the dragon king receive his token from the Wind clan—a most unique armor material that would mold to fit the wearer's frame and could be worn easily underneath garments for added protection. The craft was apparently a specialty design of the Wind dragons' and it was a secret they didn't readily share. Even from where they stood Shura and the others could hear the mumbles of jealousy reverberate through the ranks.
The Fire clan was the last to present and when they did everyone was in for an unexpected eyeful. Phoenix had returned from changing her stew-drenched kimono and in its place she opted to wear the most skin-tight, bust-accenting, bodysuit Shura had ever seen. The scarlet piece was designed to be worn under the she-dragon's armor, and though her wrists, shoulders and waist had the fire colored complements Phoenix had conveniently left off the chest plate. And she was none to shy about showing off the fact either.
Rumbling with annoyance at the dragoness's breach of etiquette Matyeo accepted her gift of fire-rubies with a controlled effort and indifferent gaze. Shura meanwhile bristled her tail with disgust.
"Well she's got a lot of nerve," she growled under her breath. It was a tame statement compared to what she was thinking, but this time Shura managed to keep the insulting comments safe behind her fangs. Phoenix however was not so generous. After she finished schmoozing and showing off the finer details of her clan's offering the she-dragon made it a point to stride arrogantly past Shura and her comrades. Naturally, this sent the she-dog into leering, which as it turned out, was just the reaction Phoenix had been hoping for.
"Jealous lady Shura?" Phoenix inquired impishly. With a haughty toss of the head the she-dragon simultaneously turned sharply towards Shura, making sure all her lavish curves followed suit. "One can hardly blame you."
Shura blushed wildly and turned away, suddenly self-conscience. Everyone else just glared as the dragon walked away, everyone that is except Inuyasha.
"I don't get it, what is there for you to be jealous over?" he asked Shura, completely clueless. The question made Shura flatten her ears in shame and blush even harder.
"Inuyasha sit!" Kagome barked, exasperated. The half demon fell to the floor with a thud and Kagome crossed her arms smugly, "you're just making things worse."
With the final offering concluded Matyeo stood and thanked all the clans with a very convincing speech and smile of gratitude. As he finished however, Firestorm's gruff vocals sounded suddenly. His voice had the same stinging bite of his daughter's.
"And what of the dog clan? I see they have nothing to give…"
Matyeo's expression hardened but he kept his voice steady.
"Inutaishou's tribe has already paid their respects," the dragon king defended calmly. Next it was Phoenix who spoke. She had a composed tone laced with innocent curiosity. But it couldn't mask the inner haughtiness that shone in her smile. Both she and her father had the same goal—to drive out Sesshomaru and his mixed blooded kin through relentless humiliation.
"Oh? What did they offer, if you don't mind me asking?" The fire dragoness inquired while pretending to look around passively. With a graceful sweep of his hand Matyeo drew Anor from his belt and held the blade so that everyone could see. The iridescent shimmers off the sword edge sent another murmur through the room.
"It's beautiful!" Kayolin remarked, enamored by the weapon's detail. A chorus of head nods and mumbled agreements promptly followed suit, leaving Phoenix more then a little frustrated.
"Pah!" she grunted, crossing her arms defiantly. "A petty token I'm sure. "
"Actually, Lady Shura had it specially commissioned by the swordsmith Totosai." Matyeo pointed out with a small smile. Another murmur reverberated through the room along with scattered comments of surprise.
"Totosai? You're kidding…"
"He hardly makes swords for anyone…" Matyeo nodded proudly.
"Not only did Shura manage to give him all the designs, it was her fangs that were used to make the blade."
In the crowd Shura scratched behind her head nervously when surrounding gazes started to fall on her. Then, for lack of better things to say she uttered an embarrassed, "Uh…you're welcome."
Pleased laughter erupted into the air making. Phoenix huff loudly.
"Even still," the fire dragon put in with one final effort to turn the tides against Sesshomaru's clan. "It would never last the rigors of combat!"
"Care to challenge that theory yourself phoenix?" sounded a playful call from the back of the room making many of the dragons chuckle.
"That's not a bad idea," followed up the Sky realm's young heiress prudently, "we could use some after dinner entertainment."
A ripple of agreement passed through the audience along with nodding heads and murmured "yeahs," and "good ideas."
It was hardly a surprising gesture. After all if there was one thing the dragon race loved it was a good battle.
"Well then," Sesshomaru voiced out suddenly and with confidence, "since the sword was forged from my daughter's fangs, why don't we let her test its strength."
Shura turned towards her father with surprise.
"What!" she hissed angrily. Her face had started to flush again and her ears practically glued themselves back to her skull. Another rumble of approval swept through the room and Matyeo himself perked up at the suggestion.
"What do you say Shura? Care to take me on?" The dragon King questioned impishly. As he spoke he raised his sword up so that the dull edge rested across the span of his shoulders. Then arching up his head proudly he gave the most heart melting of smiles. Shura gulped hard.
I…well… uh…" came her staggered reply. It was all she could manage to squeak out between the conflicting flashes of embarrassment and temptation. Had it been just the two of them she would have gladly accepted the sparing invitation, however, with so many other scrutinizing eyes…
"In front of all these people…I don't think…" the she-demon started to decline but a sharp jab in the ribs stopped her mid sentence.
"Sure she'll take you on, and she'll win too!" It was Inuyasha. Of all the times and places the half-demon had chosen that very moment to side with his brother!
"Uncle!" Shura hissed, mortified. But it was to late. Riled by the half-demon's enthusiasm the dragons' looked to Shura eagerly, the anticipation practically radiating from their auras.
The she-demon glanced up shyly to Matyeo. He was still standing there calmly, sword slung across his shoulders, that cute smile on his face. He wanted her to battle, maybe even more then the clans. Shura could tell from his expression. "Come on Shura," it was saying, "It's been so long, just one little match, for old times sake. Pleeeeaaassseee!" Shura groaned loudly.
"Fine," Shura at last relented with a snort. Matyeo's features lightened even more and his ears fanned forward with thanks. Shura just rolled her eyes in what she hoped would be read as a sarcastic "you're welcome." Then the she-demon turned briskly on her heels. Matyeo would not be so thankful, after all, if she tried to battle him in the not-so-flexible formal silks she had been outfitted in. First a change of clothes was necessary, then a trip to the armory for her weapons.
By the time she returned the crowds had been organized and a space cleared in the center of the room. Matyeo was standing in one of the far corners shedding his armor and ornaments despite protest from Kayolin.
"Relax would you," Matyeo eventually chided the elder dragon as he briskly removed his crown. "It's just a casual spar between two good friends. Nothing to be so protective over." With that Matyeo handed the headpiece over to Kayolin without a second glance.
At about that point the crowds parted allowing Shura to enter the sparing ground shyly. She felt better now that she was in her regular clothes and the sturdy weight of Duroza slung across her back was a comforting strength. Still, hard as she tried to mask the unease, there was still a tremor in her steps.
"Alright alright settle down! The lot of you!" Kayolin's resonating voice suddenly rang though the air making the restless audience quiet. "I was told this is a casual spar so that means no hastening from the sidelines." Kayolin made it a point to turn a sharp eye to both Phoenix and Charisma before going on. "And, for entertainment sake, I say there be no limit on weapons or style. Are we agreed?"
An enthused cheer echoed in the air voicing the crowd's obvious approval. Kayolin nodded and backed from Matyeo's side.
"Its all yours now lad," the elder dragon offered. Matyeo smiled confidently in return and drew his sword.
Shura drew hers as well though she was still hesitant to come forward. Hard as she tried to stay focused on Matyeo her eyes wouldn't stop wondering to the sea of surrounding faces.
Whomp! Shura braced hard when Matyeo's sword slammed fiercely into hers. The force of his lunge was incredible; it felt as though he had power-rushed her. Digging in hard with her paws Shura managed to hold her balance. She glanced swiftly to Matyeo. He was only a few yards away and was poised for striking again. Despite his posture though, his features seemed unusually relaxed.
"Come on," he urged playfully. "Come and get me!" Shura stepped forward, sword arm coiled. But she froze up again.
"I don't think I can do this," she whispered harshly, "not when they're all staring at me." Shura blocked another blow from Matyeo, though this time it wasn't nearly as intense. Instead of pushing her backwards Matyeo leaned into his sword so that their faces were only a few inches apart.
"Just pretend they're criticizing you, then they're much easier to tune out," he joked quietly. Shura offered a half-hearted smile but it quickly faded.
"I'm serious," she objected sternly. "What if I lose? I'll never hear the end of it…"
"Oh you're going to lose," Matyeo interrupted matter-of-factly with a smirk that made Shura's tail bristle. "The question is how badly." The she-demon's face hardened with annoyance and a bit of surprise.
"Did you just call me a looser?" she demanded, her voice rising. The pair of demons drew apart, swords flashing. Matyeo grinned even wider and poked out the tip of his forked tongue.
Shura launched at him swinging her sword heavily.
"Why you arrogant little…." Shura started to yell but she stiffened and swiftly clamped her mouth shut. A wave of embarrassment swept over her as the surrounding stares upon her grew more intense. Matyeo dodged easily to the side and with a sharp jab slid the tip of his blade precariously close to the underside of Shura's chin. The act made the she-demon fix on him instantly.
"Go ahead," Matyeo ordered, "say it." Shura narrowed her eyes. The embarrassment on her face suddenly hardened to downright anger.
"Hatchling!" Shura yelled. Bringing up her sword she swatted away Matyeo's blade. Then, still yelling, she struck again. "Hatchling! Hatchling!" she barked. Matyeo dodged her second swing and countered the third with his blade.
"Welp!" he insulted back, lashing out simultaneously. Shura ducked and evaded, her father's speed and grace beginning to surface in her more fluid movements.
"Scale face!"
"Dog breath!" The stream of name-calling and sword swinging continued. Many in the audience were alarmed at first, however, they soon realized from the two fighters postures that not only were neither Shura nor Matyeo offended by the ridicule they were actually enjoying it.
Frankly, it was the first time the pair of them had been so overt about their friendship in front of the clans and, not surprisingly, it stirred up the full gamete of reactions from them. Some were impartial to the fact, others sneered at the thought with disgust. Then there were Sesshomaru's allies who, of course, were utterly charmed with the idea. It was their amused laughter and remarks that sounded the loudest but neither Shura nor Matyeo heard them.
Sprinting in for another attack Shura leapt high and brought down Duroza with full force. Bracing hard the dragon blocked swiftly sending a metallic clang throughout the hall as their two swords connected. Then, without warning, a strange pulse of energy surged from Matyeo's blade creating a small yet very powerful barrier. The collision of energy sent Shura backflipping in the opposite direction. Her arm was already stinging painfully when she landed and a faint trail of smoke trailed from her sword. Snorting with annoyance Shura looked first at her smoking weapon, then across the arena to Matyeo. The dragon's face had lit up like a small child's.
"A built in shield!" he cooed, looking over his weapon in awe. "I should have known this fang of yours would pack some extra punch." Shura cracked her shoulder to bring feeling back to her arm. Then, smirking, she stepped forward with Duroza.
"Lucky for you. You're going to need it." she taunted. Then flexing her wrist Shura tapped into her sword's elemental power. A wave of warm energy from Duroza pulled at Shura's body, catching her by surprise. The power of her weapon was much different then it was before. As the Dragon's Eye her sword had fed from the environment allowing her to manipulate and augment the elements already present. But with Duroza the energy was not taken from the surroundings, it was being drawn from her demonic aura. With her energy fueling her sword Shura no longer needed an element present to use it; she could conjure them at will. It was a unique exchange and one she knew could be both a benefit and a risk. If she used too much power Duroza could drain her energy maybe even kill her. But if she handled things right, her very emotions had the power to alter the strength of any attack whenever she wanted.
Grinning at the thought Shura focused on the element she wanted to try first. Then holding her blade out she called.
"Shadow blade!" the warm pull on her body intensified for a second. Then the felt two distinct portions of energy detach from her aura on either side.
"Hmmmm, now that's interesting." she heard Matyeo comment above a murmur from the crowd. Blinking, Shura glanced to her right, then her left. Standing beside her were two identical copies of herself! They were illusions, of course, and couldn't do any physical damage. Still, despite being counterfeits, both of the other Shuras could move independently of one another and of her. Shura smiled slyly and readied for a charge. Both copies did the same.
"Glad you think so," the authentic Shura mused back. In a flurry of movement all three Shuras broke into a run swords at the ready. Their pace was fluid and calculated, each one dodging at just the right instant to mask who was real. Then came the attack. Matyeo moved and dodged rapidly as three glistening Duroza blades swung at his head. His reflexes were amazing. Strike after strike missed him by only centimeters and still his movements were seamless and confident. It was like nothing fazed him. Clearly a technique he learned from Sesshomaru.
"Hold still damnit," Shura growled, her voice wavering between frustration and amusement. Shura struck harder trying with all her might to make the dragon waver. But Matyeo just continued to dodge. He seemed to be studying her movements, biding his time until the perfect opportunity. And in fact, he was. No sooner had the realization crossed Shura's mind Matyeo flashed her one of his mischievous grins.
"If you say so." With that he slipped past her swing and landed Anor along the side of her head so that she got a good long look at the blade. Freezing with surprise Shura felt her ponytail come undone suddenly, the tie breaking at Anor's will. The she-demon smiled weakly as her hair spilled over her shoulders and back like a silver river.
"Good call," she praised Matyeo. On either side of the dragon the Shura copies vanished. "How did you know it was me?" Matyeo smiled affectionately but he didn't move his blade.
"Easy, you're much better looking then those cheap copies," the dragon informed a little bluntly. Shura laughed lightly back at him taking her eyes from Anor's edge to look up into Matyeo's. Judging from his uneasy expression she could tell that clever answer had slipped out accidentally.
"Why Matyeo, did you just make a pass at me." Shura inquired impishly in a voice she was sure only the dragon was close enough to hear. Matyeo finally faltered and a small blush shone on his cheeks. His distraction was only for an instant but it was all the time Shura needed. Tightening her grip on Duroza she tapped for another power. This time the choice seemed easier, like she was instinctively starting to recognize which of the eight elements would be most useful at a particular moment. "Light blade!" Shura chanted. There was another warm pull on her body and another manipulation of her demonic aura. But instead of tapping shadows to make illusions, Shura altered light to mask her presence entirely.
It was a draining process, much more then she anticipated. Shura barely had time to get across the arena before she had to let the invisibility effect wear off. Panting, Shura had to prop herself on Duroza to catch her breath. Matyeo meanwhile held up Anor and slid into an attack stance. Despite a composed face the dragon was still embarrassed. Shura could tell from the way his ears were fanned back. The dragon must have taken her little tease from earlier a bit more seriously then she intended. Strangely though, Shura couldn't decide weather she was surprised or enamored with the idea—that Matyeo might fancy her as more then just a friend.
Exhaling heavily Shura reached for Duroza again but to her dismay the blade felt as though it had tripled in weight. Apparently, just as raging emotions had the power to augment her sword's attacks, pressing and conflicting emotions had an influence all their own.
Shura growled at herself with disgust. Lifting Duroza out of the floor would take a more concentrated effort, literally. And that was something she didn't have time for. Matyeo had broken into a dash the instant he saw her move and was already speeding towards her, his sword poised for striking. Reflexively Shura reached for her alternate weapon—the fire whip she kept hidden in her sleeve for just such a situation. Around her, the audience cooed with excitement as she lashed out defensively with the molten object. Harsh cracking sounds echoed across the walls and sparks leapt up each time the weapon struck the polished floor.
Matyeo had to concentrate hard to avoid getting burned. Shura could see the strain in his eyes. It was taking every effort just for him to stay balanced between dodges, let alone keep barreling forward. Still, somehow, he managed. In seconds he would be too close for her range weapon to work. Rearing up hard Shura lashed out her whip one last time with all the force she could muster. Her aim this time was perfect. Had it been a lesser demon in her path she would have split them down the center. But, of course, her friend was anything but.
Springing into the air with an effortless push Matyeo soared over the scorch indentation Shura's final attack left in the floor and came down with a powerful thrust. Recoiling her whip Shura barely avoided the impact by hovering. The force of Matyeo's blow left and even greater indentation then she had made. The sight sent a tingle up Shura's spine. Flipping gracefully the she-demon floated back down with ease. She could feel Matyeo's demonic energy even before she touched the floor. He was charged to the gills with adrenalin and beginning to lose restraint yet at the same time he still had enough sense to know she could both handle the challenge and dish it back.
Matyeo struck at her again, this time almost taking her head. But Shura ducked at the last second. She stepped back to avoid another strike, then another. Next came a dart to the side. The pattern went on but Shura proved she could play the dodging game just as easily as her friend. After a few more dodges to test her reflexes Shura finally made a move, and it was an attack that caught Matyeo completely off guard. As he moved to make another jab Shura charged forward letting Anor's blade slide precariously close to her neck. Matyeo was so startled by her approach that he didn't even notice Shura grab his outstretched wrist. Pivoting sharply the she-demon yanked Matyeo forward and with a fierce heave threw the stunned dragon over her shoulder and into the closest wall. Kayolin, Sesshomaru and several other diplomats had to move swiftly to the side to avoid getting knocked over. All of them looked with concern as Matyeo crumpled to the floor.
"My King are you alright?" Kayolin wanted to know. The color had almost drained from his face. Matyeo stood up and wobbled unsteadily but a quick shake of the head quickly snapped him back. His golden eyes focused forward just in time to see Shura forcefully yank her sword from out of the floor. With a graceful motion of the wrist the she-demon next uncoiled her fire whip so that it wrapped snugly around the blade. Then she raised Duroza high. The air around her seemed to crackle with elemental energy as the sword fueled the fire. Matyeo tensed. He knew what was coming.
"Fire blade!" Shura yelled bringing down Duroza's weight with a mighty heave. The fire from her whip leapt from the blade in a molten rush and flew forward with the force and power that could have matched the wind scar. Bracing hard Matyeo held out Anor defensively. He wanted to move. But some unseen instinct compelled him to stand his ground. The rush of fire hit Anor full force. Matyeo had to dig in his heels to keep himself steady. But the heat never touched him. As the fire lapped at the metal and fang Anor's blade started to glow with a strange energy. It was drawing strength from the attack, absorbing every particle before it ever reached him. Even better, Matyeo could feel that same energy growing within his sword. Anor's shielding powers did more then just capture Shura's attack it was also augmenting it so that he could reflect back an even stronger blow. It was a similar principle to Inuyasha's backlash wave, however, it was much more precise and allowed Matyeo a greater degree of control.
Feeling the energy coursing through his sword Matyeo raised his arm and unleashed the pent up attack.
"Vengeance strike!" the dragon howled. Searing red flames flew from his sword. They charged through the air like a wild beast leaping at its prey. Shura froze in her tracks for an instant, horrified that her attack had literally backfired on her. Then she had no choice but to run.
The fire almost caught her. Even as fast as she was she could feel the flames nipping at her ears and ankles, singing her hair. Then suddenly the world was ripped out from under her. An explosion that would have killed her had it hit triggered a few strategically planned feet to her left. Matyeo had missed her. He did it on purpose. Still, it didn't stop the aftershock from tossing her across the room like a rag doll.
The diplomats followed with their eyes as Shura flew almost to the ceiling then fell limply from the air. Nearly everyone in the room winced hard when Shura hit the floor with a dull thud and a yelp of pain. Matyeo meanwhile sank to one knee. His head sagged downward, shielding his face from view as he panted heavily with exhaustion. He didn't even look over to Shura when she landed. It was a clear sign that he wasn't worried. Still, not everyone else in the room shared his confidence.
"Is she alright? Should we help her?" Many of Sesshomaru's allies voiced their concerns to the dog lord, as did Kagome and Sango. But Sesshomaru waved off their concern with the same confidence Matyeo had.
Sure enough, seconds later, Shura coughed weakly and her golden eyes worked themselves open. She was lying on her side, silver bangs streaming over much of her face. For a minute she just stayed there, her mind hovering on the brink of unconsciousness. Then she felt it. The familiar demonic energy that flooded through her in times of crisis, the power that pulled her mind into alertness and restored her strength. She had felt this power many times before; most recently while fighting Naraku, and again after she found her home village in ruins. But this time there was something different. A control she hadn't had before. This time her demonic nature wasn't being called out of delirium or rage. It was coming at her will, because she wanted to keep fighting. She no longer felt pain or fatigue. There was only her demonic resolve. It pulsed through her with every heartbeat, flowing as naturally as the blood in her veins.
Shura rolled and pushed herself to her knees. Every little movement seemed to make her demonic energy flow faster. The she-demon felt her body begin to morph to accommodate the shift in power. Her eyes were first, shading crimson and doubling in size. Next came her face. Shura had to open her mouth to allow room for her canine fangs to grow and her jaws to manipulate into the pointed snout of a dog. The transformation continued down her body adding fur and muscle to her shoulders and the delicate curves of her ribs and hips. Lastly, her hands gained silver fur up to the elbow and all her digits a set of hooked claws.
Flaring her nostrils Shura got to her feet. Then after fixing Matyeo in her sight she let out a threatening snarl that made many in the audience step back in alarm.
"This is getting out of control, maybe we should stop…" Kayolin started, but his protest was interrupted. A dry, fatigued laugh sounded from Matyeo followed by a remark that harbored no trace of fear.
"So you've found your second wind. I knew you wouldn't give in that easily." Digging Anor into the floor Matyeo lifted himself back to his feet. Then he lifted his sluggish head so that his gaze met Shura's. A smile worked across his face when he saw her, a fact that surprised the crowd even more. Matyeo's irises constricted suddenly and his eyes went wide and fierce. "But you know, two can play at that game!"